matt m - Posted - 11/13/2009:  03:52:58

I've no doubt this has been discussed many times elsewhere on this board, but I couldn't find a thread.

On the zeppmusic.com site there are tunings listed that use an F on the 4th string. I'd have thought that you'd end up breaking a lot of strings that way - anyone regularly use any?

I ask cos I briefly played a few tunes in this tuning last night:

d F G Bflat D

(It's a long story, but basically I had worked out some songs on a charango on which I'd totally misunderstood the tuning instructions in a Spanish-language teach-yourself book and tuned it E G A C E. Having discovered my mistake, I thought that I could just about contrive a similar tuning on the banjo and maybe play the tunes I'd worked out on that...)

Anyway, I didn't play for very long in that tuning cos I was scared about breaking a string, or putting too much pressure on the banjo with that F on the 4th string. Am I being over-cautious?

I'd be interested to hear from folks as to how far up to push a string...

myspace.com/matthewradmoremilton

maxmax - Posted - 11/13/2009:  04:36:19

Just an idea, you could always slap a capo on the second fret, and tune up or down the strings from there, to get in the desired tuning if you are worried about too much tension.

Best,
Max

R Buck - Posted - 11/13/2009:  05:23:46

Think of it this way. The same gauge string on a guitar is tuned higher than that gauge on a banjo. So there is some wiggle room.

RobBob
Music; the best way to count time. It is a journey not a destination.
www.blueridgerounders.com

flatfoot - Posted - 11/13/2009:  05:41:18

.

To paraphrase Earl:

"Tune the string up until it breaks. Then back off a half step."

[8{>

.

I got some tunes up on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/flatfoot50

jazz-phil - Posted - 11/13/2009:  06:11:07

If you want to get technical about it head over here http://www.kennaquhair.com/ustc.htm

It's a universal string tension calculator which gives you the tension per string based on scale length, tuning and string weight so you can compare the different tunings and tensions. It won't tell you when a string will break but it will give you an idea of what might be workable.

majikgator - Posted - 11/13/2009:  07:00:53

i do like the guitar analogy, the most common banjo tunings are the open G/A and the Double C/D with most players i know although amybe not a huge majority capoing to get the A or D. Tunings like these on guitar were often referd to as drop tnings because you had to lower the pitch (on the bass string only in case of Double C) to achieve these and then consider the guage of "medium" guage banjo strings the first string is .10, a medium guage acoustic guitar first string is typically .13 about the same guage as a typical mediun banjo second string and on a guitar that's tuned up to an E- this would be the same as raising a banjo string from say a B in an open G tuning to that E which would be two and a half steps. So can a steel banjo string take it, more than likely, will the typical modern banjo neck take it also more than likely with an even bigger yes to a maple steel reinforced neck (if adjustable). will it sound good, there i have a problem in the case of my banjo a resounding NO, whether the bass strings or treble just no nor does it have a good feel to either hand IMHO now that's my banjo. As much as especially clawhammer banjo is associated with the fiddle and the OT repitore consists of so many fiddle tunes the majoriy of which are in the keys of A and D and the most popular banjo tuings for these being open A and double D, why is the most poular clawhammer banjo scale in excess of 26", tradition? i'm not so sure although the old banjos i see for sale are most often the longer scale the old banjos i see people playing are frequently a shorter scale so like i said not so sure, sounds more like BG via Earl Scruggs and capoing being the bigger explanation, but i would rather have more shorter scale banjos made (at reasonable prices, not custom) tha explanations. Happily some builders like Kevin Enoch are prefering at least the 25 1/2", although i have seen 23 3/4" work just fine in open G and double C tunings, though they would more than likely not do well in tunings like f#BEAD and such, these tunigs are not AS widely used. This is all coming from a very frustrated poor (financailly) banjo player trying to figure out how he is going to scrape up bucks for a shorter scale banjo when it put him in the poor(er) house for a year just to get the one very moderately (pretty cheap) banjo he has ( i have often talked of my aversion to capos and tuning up this banjo), so besides being wordy there is some prejudice here.

jk